It certainly qualifies as one of the toughest in the country to get to.

And if you believe a sample of the people who have dined there after enduring a gruelling and potentially dangerous two-to three-day tramp along the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, 76-year-old Monique Nytol served the best burger of their lives.

Others declare they’ve never enjoyed a beer or glass of wine more than at Chez Monique’s with its pristine sand beach and spectacular ocean view.

Established by Nytol and her husband 25 years ago close to the halfway point of the 75-kilometre West Coast Trail, Chez Monique’s is an oasis in the wilderness for weary backpackers who have been sustained for days by dehydrated rations, trail mix and energy bars.

It’s often the first topic of conversation raised on the trail by oncoming hikers who have already indulged in Monique’s legendary $20 to $25, seven-ounce prime rib burgers.

(The price difference depends on whether you want a regular burger or one with the works.) “How far are you going? You can still make it to Monique’s today,” they offer encouragingly before sharing just how incredibly beautiful they have found the trail.

Built more than 100 years ago to rescue sailors from the frequent shipwrecks along the treacherous section of coastline, the West Coast Trail runs through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It is administered by Parks Canada and the three First Nations who call the remote area home.

Parks Canada allows only 60 people a day to start the six-to seven-day hike and charges a $127.50 per person fee, plus a $24.50 per person reservation fee.

The trail fee includes two ferry crossings and medical evacuation if necessary.

Parks Canada warns that the trail should only be attempted by experienced backpackers who are able to cover long distances through rough terrain with a heavy pack. Every year, more than 100 people are evacuated from the trail for injuries, including sprains and fractures, with the number of incidents climbing during wet weather.

The trail itself varies from well maintained, easy-walking sections that wouldn’t seriously challenge a three-year-old to kilometres of broken down boardwalk that precariously skirt cliff edges.

Thrown in for good measure are log crossings, wooden ladders that seem to stretch to the sky, hand-powered cable cars and swinging bridges.

“If you don’t like heights, I don’t know what you’re doing on the West Coast Trail,” suggests the Parks Canada official at the mandatory briefing session for hikers before they hit the trail.

The briefing session covers particular hazards on the trail, warnings to pay close attention to tide times and surge channels, and advice on what to do if you encounter a bear or cougar (try not to look like dinner).

The only mention of Monique’s comes from a hiker who asked the only question: “Is the burger shack still open?” When Nytol and her husband first set up their driftwood and tarpaulin restaurant, Parks Canada was less than thrilled with their presence on the trail, she said.

“They tried for years to get rid of us but this is my husband’s ancestral land. We wouldn’t budge,” Nytol said.

While supervising a couple of cooks and pouring coffee, the feisty senior dispenses advice to her clientele.

“Don’t try the section around Owen Point. It’s too dangerous. Tie your pack in a tree, hike down and see it and then take the inland route,” Nytol said.

She has other tips on where to find water from a spring on a notoriously dry section of the trail and a shortcut to the nearby lighthouse.

Nytol is indignant when a couple of hikers pass by without stopping in. “I could have told them about the water. There was a time when I would have chased them down the beach to tell them, but no more,” she said.

For a discouraged hiker, who says she can’t handle all the extra weight of food supplies her boyfriend insisted she add, Nytol soothes that she has already reached the halfway point of the hike.

“And next time, tell your boyfriend to come along and he can carry it,” she admonishes.

While burgers are in the $20 plus range, a pressed coffee, hot chocolate or cider is $2.50, beer or a glass of wine $7, a bottle of wine $25.

Nytol also sells all sorts of provisions for hikers.

Besides the items for sale, there is a “hiker box” where people who are running low on food can help themselves for free and others can lighten their loads by leaving surplus supplies.

One solo hiker from Montreal, who was perilously low on food after three days, was grateful for what he found in the box.

Another woman was delighted at the chance to cut her pack weight, declaring to her group: “Let’s get rid of the oatmeal.”

Some bloggers have disputed the fervent claims of hikers that Chez Monique’s serves the best burger in the country.

You can’t rely on the judgment of people who have been surviving on packages of dehydrated food and sucking in sand for days, they argue.

They might have a point, but as for me, I found the pressed coffee incredible and the burger the best I’ve ever had.

IF YOU GO

The West Coast Trail is a 75-kilometre hiking trail on Vancouver Island run by Parks Canada. Reservations for the trail open in March and can be made for May 1 to Sept. 30.

Information on the trail can be found at Parks Canada’s website: pc.gc.ca.

Bus transportation to the trail heads at Port Renfrew and Pachena Bay is available with the West Coast Trail Express: trailbus.com.

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Burger Heaven: Chez Monique's on the West Coast Trail might be the best you ever have

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